Etosha fires threaten tourist roads as Govt steps up response

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has urged visitors to Etosha National Park to exercise caution as wildfires have spread near tourist roads on the park’s eastern side.

The ministry, in a public notice on Sunday, stated that the affected routes include Halali Junction to Rietfontein, the Eland Drive detour, and the Rhino Drive detour.

“The situation may change at any time, as wind direction can cause the fire to spread unpredictably. The fire response team is at the scene, extinguishing the fire. Please refrain from entering the affected areas if you see fire approaching,” it warned.

In a media release on the same day, acting president Lucia Witbooi said the fire, which started on 22 September in the park’s southwestern part, poses a significant threat to biodiversity, wildlife and the livelihood of the communities in the affected areas.

She said during the past three days, the fire has spread to the northeastern parts of the park, and on 26 September, it has spread into the communal areas of the Omusati and Oshana regions, particularly in the constituencies of Uuvudhiya, Otamanzi and Ruacana.

Witbooi stressed that 30% of the grazing has been destroyed in the park and the government has intensified its national response to contain the fires, with 40 members of the Namibia Defence Force (NDF), and an additional 500 dispatched to the area on 27 and 28 September, respectively.

Two helicopters, fire extinguishers by the NDF, were dispatched on 28 September, including support from nearby farms for helicopter assistance, and associated expenses, while the Namibian Police deployed one helicopter to carry out surveillance of the extent of the fire in the Omusati region, she said.

Witbooi further informed the nation that no state of emergency has been declared yet, and a decision will be taken once all information is obtained.

“The fire has caused considerable damage to the grazing in the park and the surrounding communal areas, amounting to hundreds of thousands of hectares of grazing land. An unknown number of wildlife had been killed, while, thankfully, no human casualties have been reported,” she said.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.